Marketing Strategy or Halloween Costume?

When Urban Outfitters makes fun of the marketing strategy you sold just six months ago as “The NEW New Thing,” you have problems.

Debate me in the comments if you’d like, but I don’t want to be the person on stage when the SVP of Marketing asks, “Is your big idea also my kid’s Halloween costume?”

It’s not that Influencers are going away. They have been around for at least 2000 years, see the Bible’s Book of Mark or Buddhism’s Tipitaka for the reportage on Word of Mouth Marketing’s earliest days.

The key here is to focus on actual Influencers, not jumped up bloggers or internet-based spokespeople.

What has become clear to brand managers of all ranks and experience levels is that putting forth broadcasters who use social media as their preferred channel of dissemination is no more working with Influencers than calling your Schwinn a Harley-Davidson.

Look, real influencer marketing works. However, when a marketing strategy becomes a satirical pop culture reference, shouldn’t this be a red flag? Has the go-to marketing theory of today become a joke? Has it officially gone too far?

Yes.

Influencer marketing is dead. Long live Word of Mouth Marketing. This is the role of Word of Mouth Marketing – creating stories worthy of being shared by real influencers. This is where success lies.

Focus there and you will find all the treats you can handle instead of just tricks.